Torah Reading for Pekudei

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I Kings Chapter 7

51And all the work that king Solomon had wrought in the house of the Lord was finished. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated; the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, (and) put them in the treasuries of the house of the Lord.

The things which David his father had dedicated: That which remained of the silver and gold dedicated by his father [he put into the treasuries of the house of the Lord]. But the Midrash explains that Solomon did not wish to use any of those dedicated materials for the construction of the house. And I heard from scholars of Israel who said [the reason was] because David knew [through prophetic inspiration] that eventually it would be destroyed. [David himself, therefore, begged that his materials should not be used,] so that the idol worshipping nations should not be able to say their idols are mightier for they took their revenge upon the house which was built of the [vast] plunder and destruction which David plundered from them. And others say [that the reason for his refusal was because] Solomon said thus; there was a famine in the days of his father for three consecutive years, and he should have squandered these dedicated materials to sustain therewith the poor people of Israel.

I Kings Chapter 8

1Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the princes of the fathers' (houses) of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem; to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion.

In the Month Ethanim: Jonathan rendered [these words] בְּיֶרַח הָאֵיתָנִים בֶּחָג as follows: ‘In the month which the ancients called the first month, on the festival, and at present it is the seventh month,’ i.e., since the Torah was given, and it is written in reference to the month of נִיסָן that it is the first of the months, so תִּשְׁרֵי will then be called the seventh [month].

And the tabernacle of meeting: Which Moses made [in the desert, and was in Gibeon until now], And Solomon stored this away as soon as the first temple was built, [in the upper story which was above the temple and the Sanctuary,] as we have learned in the Tosefta of the tractate Sota (13:1).

Which were in the tabernacle: which David pitched for the ark.

5And King Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, (were) with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be counted nor numbered for multitude.

The ends of the staves were seen: In the curtain which was against the entrance [of the sanctuary in the אמה טרקסין. You might think they tore through the curtain and protruded [on the other side]. The text, therefore, states “and they were not seen without.” How is this possible? They were pushing and bulging similar to two breasts of a woman, as it says, “he lies between my breasts” (Song of Songs 1:13).

9There was nothing in the ark save the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made (a covenant) with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.

12Then Solomon said, "The Lord said that He would dwell in the thick darkness.

יבאָ֖ז אָמַ֣ר שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה יְהֹוָ֣ה אָמַ֔ר לִשְׁכֹּ֖ן בָּעֲרָפֶֽל:

Then: When he saw the cloud, he said, Now I see that the Divine presence is in the house which I built, for thus did He promise to come and dwell in it from the midst of a cloud and thick darkness. And where did he say this promise? “For in the cloud will I appear upon the ark-cover” (Lev. 16:12). Thus is this taught in the Sifrei.

13I have surely built You a house to dwell in; a settled place for You to dwell in forever."

For You to dwell in forever: And from the time that this [place] was chosen, it would no longer be permissible [to offer sacrifices] on any strange altars, [except those in the temple,] and the Divine presence no longer dwelled in any other place.

14And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the congregation of Israel, and all the congregation of Israel stood.

Who spoke with His mouth: [He also told him] that he would grant him a son who would build the temple.

And has fulfilled it with His hand: He has fulfilled His word with His good power, lit. with His good hand.

16'Since the day that I brought forth My people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house, that My name might be therein; but I chose David to be over My people Israel.'

20And the Lord has established His word that He spoke, and I have risen up in the place of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord spoke, and have built a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.